Living with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is short for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS comes with several symptoms, yet every case is not the same. Some women living with PCOS will have excess body hair, acne, menstrual abnormalities, thinning hair, skin tags, weight problems, cysts, infertility, depression, and many others. Women with PCOS have high levels of male hormones. They may have no periods, or they may find they have continuous menstrual cycles. Each women will have a different story to tell about living with PCOS.

My story is one I wish I could change. Living with PCOS is not something I would want for any woman to experience. Each day I deal with a variety of symptoms. I never know which PCOS symptoms to expect one day to the next. Here are some of the problems I have living with PCOS.

1. Acne, never did I imagine that this close to thirty I would be dealing with Acne. Everyone thinks of Acne as a thing teenagers deal with when going through puberty. Well women living with PCOS deal with acne on a daily basis. The hormonal imbalance makes my face breakout like a pizza at times. Sure there are different medications I could take to deal with the Acne, but they have their own side effects. Many can't be used while trying to get pregnant, and since we are they are out.

2. Excess body hair, everyday I have to wax, shave, or pluck away the stray hairs that have made my chin their home. What woman wants to deal with facial hair everyday? Some days I think I should just run away and join the circus. I could make a great bearded lady with about two weeks of not removing the hair. How attractive is it for your girlfriend or wife to have facial hair? Not to attractive in my book. I would love to cut the hair removal out of my daily routine. Oh did I forget to mention the hairs that sprout from my big toe? With Summer coming and all the cute sandals I have to make extra sure I don't forget to check my toes for hair. Not a pretty picture I know. Some women living with PCOS have excess hair on their back and breasts too.

3. Irregular periods, every month most women have a period. They may get PMS symptoms about a week before their period is due. I have these symptoms for weeks at a time. Usually I will have two periods a year. While most women would love this, I do not. Through the month I will spot for days upon days. I have to deal with the cramps and the moodiness that most women experience for a week. If I make plans or have a lot of stress I spot. I know that every holiday, event, or vacation we take I can count on the spotting to occur. Periods may seem like a nuisance for some, but when you are trying to get pregnant they are very important. Not all women living with PCOS have irregular cycles.

4. Cysts, every month instead of my body ovulating like a normal woman, my body turns that egg into a cyst. My ovaries are covered in tiny cysts. Sometimes these cyst will grow and become very painful. They can make intercourse painful at times. The worst part is since the egg does not get released I can't get pregnant. It's simple no egg no baby. Many women living with PCOS will have to use fertility medicines to help the eggs be released. I have tried several methods and none have worked. Not all women living with PCOS have the cysts.

5. Weight problems, I have always struggled with my weight. I don't eat excessively, and I get regular exercise. PCOS makes losing weight harder. I lost 65 pounds a few years ago by eating under 700 calories a day and two hours or more of exercise a day. I couldn't stick with a diet plan like that and returned to eating more then salad and I gained every pound back plus a few more. I have tried low carb, low fat, low calorie, and every other new diet plan around. I might lose five pounds or so , but it always comes back. Not all women living with PCOS have weight problems.

6. Insulin Resistance, some women living with PCOS have Insulin Resistance. Their bodies don't know how to use the insulin it produces. This can lead to high blood sugar levels and eventually Type 2 diabetes. There are lots of medicines to control the Insulin Resistance, each with a bunch of side effects. See my article on Glucophage side effects. Not all women living with PCOS will have Insulin Resistance.

These are just a few of the symptoms I experience living with PCOS. Each women will have different symptoms and experiences. If any of the symptoms I described sound like something you are dealing with, see your Doctor and mention PCOS.
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